# Markarian 478

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Seyfert 1 galaxy in the constellation Boötes

Markarian 478 SDSS image of Seyfert galaxy Markarian 478 Observation data (J2000.0 epoch) Constellation Boötes Right ascension 14h 42m 07.47s[1] Declination +35° 26′ 22.95″[1] Redshift 0.079055[1] Heliocentric radial velocity 23,700 km/s[1] Distance 1.08 Gly Apparent magnitude (V) 14.58 Characteristics Type Spiral Sy1[1] Size ~137,000 ly (42.1 kpc) (estimated)[1] Other designations PG 1440+356, IRAS 14400+3539, PGC 52510, CG 0512, RBS 1418, RX J1442.1+3526, NVSS J144207+352624[1]

**Markarian 478** also known as **MRK 478**, is a [Seyfert 1 galaxy](/source/Seyfert_galaxy)[2] located in the constellation of [Boötes](/source/Bo%C3%B6tes). The redshift of the galaxy is (z) 0.079,[1] giving it a distance of about 1 billion light-years from Earth. It was first discovered in 1974 by astronomers from [Arecibo Observatory](/source/Arecibo_Observatory) via a 1000-foot radio [telescope](/source/Telescope).[3] It displays doubly ionized [iron](/source/Iron) [emission lines](/source/Spectral_line) in its spectrum and is classified as a radio-quiet [quasar](/source/Quasar).[4][5]

## Description

Markarian 478 is specifically described as a prototype narrow-line Seyfert galaxy. It displays emission lines that are increasing in [flux](/source/Flux) levels in blue wing components with increasing line peaks in [velocity](/source/Velocity) shifts. The spectrum of this galaxy also shows the presence of [absorption lines](/source/Absorption_spectroscopy) on the blue wing components of emission doublets and [Lyman](/source/Lyman_series) [β](/source/Beta) lines. Observations also found the high-[ionization](/source/Ionization) emission lines have high velocities at blueshifts suggesting outflowing gas is mainly produced in its [broad-line region](/source/Active_galactic_nucleus).[6]

The host of Markarian 478 is a round [spiral galaxy](/source/Spiral_galaxy) with two undisturbed asymmetric and visible [spiral arms](/source/Spiral_arm).[5][7] Its nucleus is elongated northeast to southeast, with its main body also being elongated perpendicular to it. Evidence also showed there are faint shells or arms in the host implying a clear disturbed morphology.[8][9] A 3.3-ɥm PAH emission feature was detected in the galaxy.[10]

Markarian 478 is variable. Based on its EUV (Extreme [Ultraviolet](/source/Ultraviolet) Emission) [light curve](/source/Light_curve), most of the flux variations occurred in the lines and not in continuum. The [amplitude](/source/Amplitude) variations are described as highly significant, occurring on a factor of three on a timescale less than one day.[11]

The [X-ray spectrum](/source/X-ray_spectroscopy) of Markarian 478 is soft and steep.[12] It is also mainly dominated by soft excess with some traces of excess residuals in the 5-7 [KeV](/source/Electronvolt) band.[13] Based on observation results using data from Swift, [XMM-Newton](/source/XMM-Newton) and [AstroSat](/source/AstroSat), it is shown to have both long-term and intermediate-term variability. Evidence also showed the [reflection](/source/Reflection_(physics)) fraction is anticorrelated, with the [spectral index](/source/Spectral_index) and flux suggesting the variability was caused by hard X-rays that were producing a corona moving closer and away from its central [black hole](/source/Black_hole).[14] The mass of the black hole in Markarian 478 is estimated to be 7.30 M☉.[15]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ned_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ned_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-ned_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-ned_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-ned_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-ned_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-ned_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-ned_1-7) ["NED search results for Markarian 478"](https://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/byname?objname=Markarian+478&hconst=67.8&omegam=0.308&omegav=0.692&wmap=4&corr_z=1). *NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database*. Retrieved 2025-08-10.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Gondhalekar, P. M.; Kellett, B. J.; Pounds, K. A.; Matthews, L.; Quenby, J. J. (June 1994). ["ROSAT/XRT-PSPC observations and the ionizing continuum of Seyfert 1 galaxy MKN 478"](https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fmnras%2F268.4.973). *Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society*. **268** (4): 973–983. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[1994MNRAS.268..973G](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1994MNRAS.268..973G). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1093/mnras/268.4.973](https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fmnras%2F268.4.973). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0035-8711](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0035-8711).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Tovmassian, H. M.; Terzian, Y. (October 1974). ["Radio Emission from Some Markarian Galaxies at 430 MHz"](https://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/pdf/1974PASP...86..649T). *Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific*. **86** (513): 649. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[1974PASP...86..649T](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1974PASP...86..649T). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1086/129658](https://doi.org/10.1086%2F129658). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0004-6280](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0004-6280).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Rudy, Richard J.; Lynch, David K.; Mazuk, S.; Venturini, Catherine C.; Puetter, R. C.; Hamann, F. (August 2001). ["Markarian 478: A Second Seyfert Galaxy with 1 Micron Fe II Emission Lines"](https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1086/322914/pdf). *Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific*. **113** (786): 916–919. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2001PASP..113..916R](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2001PASP..113..916R). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1086/322914](https://doi.org/10.1086%2F322914). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0004-6280](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0004-6280).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_5-1) Dunlop, J. S.; Taylor, G. L.; Hughes, D. H.; Robson, E. I. (September 1993). ["Infrared imaging of the host galaxies of radio-loud and radio-quiet quasars"](https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fmnras%2F264.2.455). *Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society*. **264** (2): 455–488. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[1993MNRAS.264..455D](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1993MNRAS.264..455D). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1093/mnras/264.2.455](https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fmnras%2F264.2.455). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0035-8711](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0035-8711).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Yuan, Q.; Brotherton, M.; Green, R. F.; Kriss, G. A. (June 2004). ["Outflowing Components in the Prototype Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 Galaxy Markarian 478"](https://articles.adsabs.harvard.edu/pdf/2004IAUS..217..364Y). *Recycling Intergalactic and Interstellar Matter*. **217**: 364. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2004IAUS..217..364Y](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2004IAUS..217..364Y). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1743-9221](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1743-9221).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Guyon, O.; Sanders, D. B.; Stockton, Alan (September 2006). ["Near-Infrared Adaptive Optics Imaging of QSO Host Galaxies"](https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1086/505030/fulltext/). *The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series*. **166** (1): 89–127. [arXiv](/source/ArXiv_(identifier)):[astro-ph/0605079](https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0605079). [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2006ApJS..166...89G](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2006ApJS..166...89G). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1086/505030](https://doi.org/10.1086%2F505030). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0067-0049](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0067-0049).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Surace, Jason A.; Sanders, D. B.; Evans, A. S. (December 2001). "Optical and Near-Infrared Imaging of Infrared-Excess Palomar-Green Quasars". *The Astronomical Journal*. **122** (6): 2791–2809. [arXiv](/source/ArXiv_(identifier)):[astro-ph/0109405](https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0109405). [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2001AJ....122.2791S](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2001AJ....122.2791S). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1086/324462](https://doi.org/10.1086%2F324462). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0004-6256](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0004-6256).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Markarian 478"](http://quasar.square7.ch/fqm/1440+356.html). *Frankfurt Quasar Monitoring*. Retrieved 2025-08-10.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Rodriguez-Ardila, A.; Viegas, S. M. (2003-04-21). ["Hidden starbursts in Seyfert 1 galaxies"](https://doi.org/10.1046%2Fj.1365-8711.2003.06538.x). *Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society*. **340** (4): L33–L37. [arXiv](/source/ArXiv_(identifier)):[astro-ph/0302327](https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0302327). [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2003MNRAS.340L..33R](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2003MNRAS.340L..33R). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1046/j.1365-8711.2003.06538.x](https://doi.org/10.1046%2Fj.1365-8711.2003.06538.x). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0035-8711](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0035-8711).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Hwang, Chorng-Yuan; Bowyer, Stuart (February 1997). ["The Extreme-Ultraviolet Emission of the Seyfert Galaxies Markarian 279, Markarian 478, and Ton S180"](https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1086/303562/fulltext/). *The Astrophysical Journal*. **475** (2): 552–556. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[1997ApJ...475..552H](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1997ApJ...475..552H). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1086/303562](https://doi.org/10.1086%2F303562). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0004-637X](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0004-637X).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Marshall, H. L.; Carone, T. E.; Shull, J. Michael; Malkan, M. A.; Elvis, M. (January 1996). ["The Steep Soft X-Ray Spectrum of the Highly Variable Active Nucleus in Markarian 478"](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1996ApJ...457..169M/abstract). *The Astrophysical Journal*. **457**: 169. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[1996ApJ...457..169M](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1996ApJ...457..169M). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1086/176720](https://doi.org/10.1086%2F176720). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0004-637X](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0004-637X).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Waddell, S G H; Gallo, L C; Gonzalez, A G; Tripathi, S; Zoghbi, A (2019-09-10). ["Multi-epoch X-ray spectral analysis of the narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy Mrk 478"](https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fmnras%2Fstz2518). *Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society*. **489** (4): 5398–5412. [arXiv](/source/ArXiv_(identifier)):[1909.01897](https://arxiv.org/abs/1909.01897). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1093/mnras/stz2518](https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fmnras%2Fstz2518). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0035-8711](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0035-8711).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Barua, Samuzal; Jithesh, V; Misra, Ranjeev; Medhi, Biman J; Adegoke, Oluwashina (2022-09-23). ["Correlated variability of the reflection fraction with the X-ray flux and spectral index for Mrk 478"](https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fmnras%2Fstac2690). *Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society*. **517** (1): 801–807. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1093/mnras/stac2690](https://doi.org/10.1093%2Fmnras%2Fstac2690). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0035-8711](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0035-8711).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Kawakatu, Nozomu; Imanishi, Masatoshi; Nagao, Tohru (June 2007). "Anticorrelation between the Mass of a Supermassive Black Hole and the Mass Accretion Rate in Type 1 Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies and Nearby QSOs". *The Astrophysical Journal*. **661** (2): 660–671. [arXiv](/source/ArXiv_(identifier)):[astro-ph/0702552](https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0702552). [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2007ApJ...661..660K](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2007ApJ...661..660K). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1086/516563](https://doi.org/10.1086%2F516563). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0004-637X](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0004-637X).

v t e Constellation of Boötes Boötes in Chinese astronomy Boötes Void List of stars in Boötes Stars Bayer α (Arcturus) β (Nekkar) γ (Seginus) δ (Qigong) ε (Izar, Pulcherrima) ζ η (Muphrid) θ ι κ λ (Xuange) μ1 (Alkalurops) μ2 ν1 ν2 ξ ο π ρ (Kalasungsang) σ (Genghe) τ (Tepiamenit) υ φ χ ψ ω Flamsteed 1 2 3 6 (e) 7 9 10 11 12 (d) 13 14 15 18 20 22 (f) 24 (g) 26 31 32 33 34 (Alrumh) 38 (Merga) 39 40 44 (Quadrans) 45 (c) 46 (b) 47 (k) 50 Variable R S T RX ZZ AB BL BP BX BY CE CH CI CN CP CR CX CY (101 Vir) DE EK HN HP HD 118508 118889 122563 125040 125351 (A) 125658 126128 126129 126141 126200 126271 127304 127334 127726 128093 128198 129132 129357 130084 130603 130917 131040 131473 131496 (Arcalís) 132029 132406 132563 134064 134335 135438 135530 135944 141399 Other 2MASS J15031961+2525196 CFBDSIR 1458+10 Gliese 526 HAT-P-4 LHS 2924 PSR J1544+4937 SDSS J1416+1348 SDSS J1433+1011 TVLM 513-46546 WASP-14 WD 1425+540 ZTF J153932.16+502738.8 Exoplanets HAT-P-4b HD 128311 b c HD 132406 b HD 136418 b (Awasis) τ Boötis b TOI-1853 b WASP-14b Star clusters NGC 5466 Galaxies NGC 5008 5248 5251 5416 5490 5500 5504 5508 5514 5523 5529 5532 5533 5535 5539 5541 5544 5545 5548 5557 5559 5562 5579 5582 5591 5601 5603 5609 5613 5614 5615 5624 5629 5630 5641 5642 5653 5665 5676 5681 5682 5683 5698 5714 5722 5752 5753 5754 5755 5772 5778 5784 5790 5820 5821 5829 5837 5857 5875 5876 5886 5888 5896 5929 5930 5966 Numbered I II III Other 3C 295 3C 299 3C 300 3C 303 3C 315 4C 19.44 4C +26.42 7C 1354+2552 Abell 2009 BCG Arp 302 B2 1420+32 B2 1441+26 CEERS-2112 CEERS-93316 CEERS2-588 CLASS B1359+154 Cloverleaf quasar DDO 190 EGS-zs8-1 EGS-z11-R0 EGSY8p7 H1426+428 IC 4397 IC 4461 IC 4462 IC 4481 IC 4516 IRAS 13349+2438 IRAS 14394+5332 IRAS 15206+3342 LEDA 2108986 MACS 1423-z7p64 MACS J1447.4+0827 BCG Maisie's Galaxy Markarian 463 Markarian 471 Markarian 478 MS 1455.0+2232 BCG MS 1512-cB58 NVSS J141343+433945 OQ 172 OQ 530 PG 1411+442 PG 1543+489 PGC 93125 PGC 1470080 PKS 1345+125 PKS 1413+135 QSO B1422+202 RBS 1467 RGZ J145001.5+144747 RGZ J145039.8+441829 SBS 1415+437 SDSS J135646.10+102609.0 SDSS J1430+2303 Teacup galaxy UGC 8669 UGC 9128 UGC 9425 UGC 9684 UGC 9796 ULAS J1342+0928 VV 191 Galaxy clusters Abell 1795 Abell 1991 BoRG-58 IDCS J1426.5+3508 Astronomical events GRB 990123 GRB 080319B SCP 06F6 SN 2003fg SN 2005bc SN 2020tlf Category

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Markarian 478](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markarian_478) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markarian_478?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.